


Words Do Hurt

by greengirl82



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Friendship, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-07
Updated: 2012-10-15
Packaged: 2017-11-11 16:21:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,797
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/480464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greengirl82/pseuds/greengirl82
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emily learns the hard way that words do hurt, especially when it comes from someone you care about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. At The Park

C.S. Lewis said, "Spiteful words can hurt your feelings but silence breaks your heart."

* * *

Emily laughed as she watched the men on the team throw the football back and forth.

Garcia chuckled when she saw Kevin fumble with the ball, and jabbed Emily in the shoulder.

"Believe me he's not like that in bed." Garcia whispered in a co-conspirator tone.

Rolling her eyes, she chuckled and looked up to see Morgan pass the ball off to Hotch.

As Hotch scored the touchdown Emily, JJ and Garcia laughed when they saw Jack run over tackling his father at the knees.

"Aw." Garcia said, "Look at that, a mini Hotch."

Emily shook her head and was caught off by surprised when she saw Jack lunge himself on her.

"Emmy." Jack said giggling, "Did you see me tackle Daddy?"

"I did." Emily said laughing as Jack sat himself down on her lap "Very good, buddy."

Jack settled in her lap while Hotch watched from the sidelines, hesitant and wary of the comfortable ease that Jack had with Emily.

Emily tickled the little boy into giggling and laugh when the team teased Jack to get her back.

"Aw" Garcia said, "Get her little man. Pounce her."

"Stop" Emily said laughing when Jack jumped out of her arms and ran to Morgan and Reid.

"Help me" Jack said staring at the brunette agent in glee "Get her!"

Emily's eyes widened in horror when she saw the smirks that graced Morgan and Reid's faces.

"Uh, guys?" Emily said getting up quickly and looking at the two men and boy, not once looking in Hotch's uncomfortable direction.

Emily could hear the snicker of Dave and would of thrown him a dirty look but Garcia's voice shrieked in her ear.

"Get her!" Garcia said watching and chuckling when she spotted Morgan, Reid and Jack rush at her causing her to get off the bench and run through the park.

"We're gonna get you, Emmy." Jack said.

"Right, little man." Morgan said picking up the six year old and running after her with Reid slowly running behind.

 

Emily panted lightly for air, as she peeked through the tree watching Morgan placing the small boy down as they looked next to the bathroom stalls.

She smirked when she saw Jack run into the ladies room then quickly run back out looking embarrassed.

Sneaking past several small trees, Emily ducked behind a bush when she saw Reid wander past her and moved quickly to the side of the park restrooms.

Emily grinned when she saw the three turn around to go back in the opposite direction.

 _'Ha, Prentiss one, three stooges zilch'_ Emily thought as she turned to leave she paused when she heard Jack's voice.

"Got ya." Jack said and Emily landed on her back jumped on by a grinning and laughing boy "I win, I win."

"Ugh" Emily said she looked left and right, "Where did Morgan and Reid go?"

"Back to the table" Jack said grinning as he rested his head on her shoulder as she got off the ground.

"Wow" Emily said "Jack, you can't just leave them ok? You have to promise me you won't do that again, ok?"

Emily looked up when she saw a woman huff at her.

"Ma'am" the woman said "I'm in no position to judge, but maybe next time you can check for free stalls instead of sending your son in."

"What?" Emily asked shocked.

"Your son burst into the bathroom and into the handicapped stall" the woman enunciated "While I was in there."

"Oh?" Looking down at the beet red boy, "Jack?" Emily said stunned.

"She's not his mother" Hotch said announcing his presence "I'm his father and I do apologize for any inconvenience."

Hotch walked over to her, and took Jack from Emily giving the bathroom woman a look before leaving with Jack.

"Emmy" Jack called out "Daddy, I want to stay with Emmy."

Emily saw the woman give her a sympathetic look but all Emily did was march into the bathroom feeling her heart break in two.

 

Pacing back and forth, the brunette tried to control her wavering emotions.

She knew she wasn't Jack's mother and never pretended to be, but for Hotch to just say that with such a cold and uncaring tone. That hurt worst than any physical wound she endured in the line of duty.

Looking into the mirror, she didn't even realize she had been crying until now.

Washing a paper towel she heard her cell phone beep.

Picking it up she read a text from Garcia, _'Are you ok, Gumdrop? Morgan and Reid promised they won't tackle you._ _Come back.'_

Sighing she sent a quick message back, _'Need a few minutes to myself, be back soon.'_

She washed the tears off her face and wondered how she could get those words out of her heart.

Exhaling, Emily placed this hurt emotion in a box, filing it under, _'Forget Hotch.'_

Trying to will herself to move, Emily walked to the bathroom door, and flinched when she opened it to see Hotch on the other side.

"What?" Emily asked trying to mask the hurt with her usual quirky attitude "Stalk the ladies room much?"

Shaking his head at the attitude, "Garcia sent me out to look for you."

Clearing her throat, "No need, I'm on my way back."

Pausing waiting for Hotch to move, she raised an eyebrow at him, "You know this would work if you moved."

"Can we talk?" Hotch asked not budging.

"About what?" Emily asked putting on a confused act "Can you please scoot a little to the left, it's getting a bit claustrophobic right here."

Hotch braced his hands on her arms pushing her back into the restroom lightly.

"We need to talk about Jack." Hotch said "And what I said earlier."

Faking confusion, "About what? Telling that lady I wasn't Jack's mother?" Emily said feeling proud how he was thrown by her seemingly not hurt feelings "Forget about it."

Licking his lips, "If I hurt your feelings..." Hotch asked.

"Let it go" Emily said trying to calm her temper and tears "I get it, I never said I was his mother, it's fine."

Hotch pulled her close to him, "But you want to be, don't you?" Hotch whispered lightly with a look in his eyes that she couldn't describe.

"What?" Emily asked pulling herself back to look at him.

"You want to be Jack's mother" Hotch said walking towards her as she walked backwards, wincing her back hits the sink "I should of never tried to push you away from the second I've met you."

"What?" Emily asked confused, while Hotch leans his hands on either side of her on the sink trapping her inside.

Inhaling lightly, "I know I've been in the past an unbearable bastard. And that was my own fault. But I've had these strong feelings..."

 

Emily shuddered lightly as Hotch's hands rest on her hip pulling her against his growing erection, she gasped at the contact.

His hands moving upward towards the hem of her shirt, he leans in, "These feelings wouldn't leave no matter how hard I tried. And when my marriage crashed and burned, the feelings only deepened."

Emily felt the wind was knocked out of her, she knew it wasn't a one sided crush.

She moaned lightly when felt Hotch rock the hips in sync with hers.

She closed her eyes, when Hotch leaned in and whispered, "I know you want this as much as I do, and I don't know what the hell I'm doing but I can't deny this any longer."

Emily sighed when she felt Hotch's mouth attack her neck, nipping and licking the tender flesh while his hands went up her shirt and felt his warm hands caress and cup her breast.

Emily could hear this nagging voice in the back of her head and said what was popping in her head.

"We really shouldn't..." Emily gasped out a moan when Hotch's thumb ran across her nipple causing her to tighten her grip "We shouldn't do this."

"Shh" Hotch whispered going back to her ear and biting lightly on it causing her to groan "Let me do this."

Emily frowned at the comment, as his hands went down to the button on her jeans.

"Huh?" Emily said lightly as his hands went inside the jeans caressing her skin as it was about to make it's way further.

"Let me fix this." Hotch said kissing her neck, "Let me make this up for my stupidity."

Emily's eyes popped open at that, and shoved him back, "No."

Shocked at the loss of contact, "What?" Hotch asked surprised.

"You can't fix this with sex" Emily said "I don't want you to do this just to make up for hurting my feelings."

Hotch was stunned when Emily fixed herself up and headed for the door she turned, giving him a sharp look.

"I love Jack like he was my own, and what you said hurt so much because I've never pretended to be anything other then his friend and yours" Emily said opening the door, "Words do hurt, Hotch."

After Emily stormed out, Hotch turned and looked in the mirror, seeing smudges of Emily's lip gloss on his mouth wiping it off, his heart drop "I'm sorry."

* * *

"The difference between friendship and love is how much you can hurt each other." Ashleigh Brilliant


	2. Mr. and Mrs. Howard

"Action is the last resource of those who know not how to dream." Oscar Wilde

* * *

Emily tried not to sigh out loud as she sat down in the office chair, she could feel his eyes watching her.

 _'Ugh, come on'_ Emily thought staring at the clock in front of her, _'Move it along.'_

She felt his hand touch hers, and intertwined their fingers.

Looking up she saw him smile and couldn't resist smiling back.

 _'Damn him and those dimples,'_ Emily thought, _'He will not have the upper hand in this.'_

The lady at the desk looked up at them, "Mr. and Mrs. Howard?"

"Yes?" Hotch said feeling Emily let go of his hand and sat up straight.

"Everything looks in order," Margaret said "And here at the Bright Smiles Center, we'd like to welcome you both and your son to our facility."

"Thank you," Emily smiled politely at the woman, her heart breaking when the woman said "their" son.

She knew that even though they were suppose to be focused on this case about murdered parents she couldn't help wonder what if...

"Mrs. Howard?" Margaret said "Do you have any pictures of your son?" the woman looked down at the paper "Of Colin? We'd like to put him up on our new register wall."

"Oh yes," Emily said going into the bag she was given and pulled out the wallet, she opened it and her eyes widened when she saw pictures taken awhile ago before her and Hotch's argument.

Of her with Jack, and some of the three of them together.

"Give her this one, honey." Hotch said reaching over, his hand grazing her hip causing her to flashback to their intimate moment in the park restroom.

Hotch watched as the daycare woman took the picture of Jack, or "Colin" as they were calling him, placing it in the file.

"Now, Mr. and Mrs. Howard if you will follow me, I'll show you Mr. Sullivan's office." Margaret said getting up from her desk and waiting for Hotch and Emily.

Following the older woman, the dark-haired agents tried to get their mind off last weeks encounter to focus on the case of murdered parents.

How Emily ended up playing the wife, she knew it was Hotch's choice. She'd rather it had been JJ and Dave doing the undercover work, but nope Hotch had to choose her.

Emily glared at the back of his head as they continued down a corridor that led to another office in the back part of the building.

"Please wait here while I get Mr. Sullivan," Margaret told the agents.

"Thank you," the brunette replied, picking at her nail once Margaret closed the door.

Sitting down, Hotch looked over at Emily, she could feel the tension in her rise up and unable to take it anymore she turned to look at Hotch, "What?"

"Stop picking your nails," Hotch said grabbing her hand, his fingers ghosting at her wrists.

"Take your hands off of me." Emily muttered quietly.

"Why?" Hotch asked.

"Because I don't want to be touched by you," Emily hissed, remembering how his warm hands felt on her smooth stomach which made her cheeks blush.

Raising an skeptical eyebrow at her, he lightly remarked, "Somethings telling me that's not true."

"You think groping me last week changed anything?" Emily asked, masking the husk in her tone when she turned her attention to him, "It changes nothing, Hotch."

A look of regret flashed across his face, but Emily didn't see it.

The door opened and both agents got up to greet the schools daycare center owner.

"Sit down." Mr. Sullivan barked out, causing Hotch and Emily to pause at the hostile tone, but both quickly sat when the man pulled out a gun.

"What are you doing?" Emily asked eyeing the gun, her hands clutching her purse.

"This Mrs. Howard" Mr. Sullivan said, "Is going to be an execution."

"Why?" Hotch asked keeping the focus on him while Emily's hand inched for the zipper of her purse.

"We have what we call a stalemate here, Mr. Howard" Sullivan said, "You see we're not just a child care facility, we're running a high risk black market adoption ring."

 _'Ah'_ Emily thought _'Got you.'_

"And you plan on taking 'Colin'?" Hotch asked his voice gruff in anger.

"And sell him to the highest bidder." Sullivan instructed "Now stand up, Mr. Howard and take these handcuffs and cuff yourself to your wife."

 _'Great, as if this day can't get any worse?'_ Emily thought as she silently clicked the safety off.

Hotch caught the handcuffs that Sullivan tossed to him.

"Put them on." Sullivan ordered again.

"I'd rather you shoot me," Emily muttered under her breath.

Hotch looked over at Emily who nodded, sighing Hotch put on one handcuffed then as he flicked the other one towards Emily's she pulled the gun out.

"Drop your weapon," Emily ordered calmly "Do it."

Sullivan raised an eyebrow to her, "I don't think you have the guts ."

Cocking the gun back, "It's Agent Prentiss, FBI."

Glaring at the woman, Sullivan aimed his gun at her, "Goodbye Agent Prentiss."

Hotch looked from Sullivan to Emily and shoved her out-of-the-way as a gun shot went off.

Emily felt herself weighed down by excess weight as the team and local police rushed the room.

Looking over at Hotch she sighed when he got up, "Are you alright?" Hotch asked her.

Exhaling, "Shouldn't I be asking you that? You did jump into the path of a bullet." Emily asked.

"I'm fine." Hotch said while JJ helped Emily up on steady legs.

"Come on, Princess," Morgan said throwing an arm around her, "Let's get out of here.

Hotch watched as Emily walked towards the door, she turned her head back to look at him, "Thanks."

Hotch soon followed his team out, ready to put this day behind him when all he wanted was to pull Emily into his arm and never let go.

Standing in his office, Hotch saw Emily finish the last of her case report and walk towards the catwalk.

Walking over to his desk he sat down and heard her knock on his door.

"Come in" Hotch said looking down at the file before him, he looked up when he heard the door open.

"Hey" Emily said clearing her throat, "Here's the Sullivan-White case file."

"Thanks." Hotch said taking the file while resisting the urge to touch her hand.

Looking out the office window, she sighed, "I'm going to go home now."

"Oh." Hotch said "All right then, get a good night sleep."

"Thanks." Emily said walking out of the office without closing the door.

Hotch got up and went to the door, intent on getting work done and stop thinking about her.

Standing by the door he could see her talking to JJ and Garcia as she grabbed her go bag.

Stepping outside he lightly heard JJ ask Emily if she was ok.

"I'll be fine." Emily said sighing, "You know sometimes I wonder if there's more to life than this."

"What do you mean?" JJ asked "Are you talking about love?"

Shrugging, "Yeah that and just the thought after how many years I've been out there, I still haven't found the one person that makes me feel whole."

"Aw, Gumdrop" Garcia said "You're talking about a soul mate. The other half of you? Well we'll just have to get to work on finding that Mr. Right."

"I'd settle for Mr. Right Now," Emily said picking up her coat "I'm gonna head home now, I'm getting a headache."

"Wait" Garcia said "What would it take for the right guy to win you over? Would he have to do the fancy dinners, professing his undying love to you?"

Shaking her head as she chuckled, "I'd like someone to bring me my favorite flowers and settle for taking a walk in the park."

"That's all?" Garcia asked surprised looking at JJ.

"Sometimes actions speak louder than words." Emily said as she walked out the bullpen to the elevators.

Sitting in his office, looking at the mountain of paperwork in front of him, Hotch didn't even acknowledge Dave until the man was peeling the pen out of his hand.

"What?" Hotch asked surprised by the amused look on Dave's face.

"Go." Dave said grabbing Hotch up by the elbow, groaning when he felt his hesitation.

"What?" Hotch asked "Go where?"

"To Emily" Dave said frustrated "Hell I've seen the way you've eyed her the past month. Then last week something weird changed between you both."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Dave." Hotch lied.

"Bull." Dave said giving Hotch a look, "You know as well as I do that you've got feelings for Emily, but somehow in the past week you've managed to screw that up, why?"

Clearing his throat, Hotch looked at the paper work on his desk then into the dark bullpen and wondered where the hell the time had gone.

"I'm waiting" Dave said, "And we're not getting any younger here..."

"You aren't." Hotch murmured then said, "Last week at the park, I said something..."

Furrowing his eyebrows, "Well what did you say?" Dave asked.

"Remember when Jack, Morgan and Reid were chasing Emily around the park?" Hotch asked seeing Dave nod, "Well I guess Jack ran in the ladies... and well, this woman who Jack barged in on mistook Emily for Jack's mother."

"And?" Dave asked putting the pieces together.

"Well I got short and said that Emily wasn't his mother." Hotch said.

Dave shook his head as he ran his hand over his forehead, "And you said it in your Hotch tone, didn't you?" Dave said "Jesus, Aaron no wonder she looked like she was having a heart attack on this last case."

"I don't realize how badly I hurt her until after I went looking for her." Hotch said "And then we got really close in the park bathroom."

Raising an eyebrow at that, "How close?" Dave asked seeing the look on Hotch's face, "You two had sex?"

Rolling his eyes, "Say it a little louder, Dave. I don't think the heard you in the next town." Hotch said, "No we didn't have sex. We were close to it, really close."

"Well what stopped you two?" Dave asked.

"I opened my big mouth again." Hotch said groaning.

Exhaling a big sigh, "You know I don't think I want to know." Dave said shoving Hotch's coat and briefcase at him, "Just fix this before I fix you."

Dave shoved Hotch out the door, "And keep your mouth close when you think you'll say something stupid." Dave said muttering, "But then again, will he have anything to say?"

Emily laid on her couch, stretching her legs out as she read her Kurt Vonnegut book, sipping her hot chocolate she set it down on the coffee table.

Sighing as she looked over at the clock, she knew that tonight she'd hardly get any sleep.

 _'Another one of those nights.'_ Emily thought to herself as she placed the bookmark in her book and tossed it on the coffee table. Picking up her mug she went to the kitchen putting it in the sink, she paused when she heard a knock on her door.

Looking back at the clock, Emily walked over to the door, sighing as she looked through the peephole she felt her heart beat faster as she opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" Emily asked Hotch.

"These are for you" Hotch said handing over to her purple lilies "May I come in?"

Sighing, "Well since I guess you saved my life and brought me flowers, why not." Emily said opening the door letting him in.

Walking over to her kitchen, she placed the flowers in a small vase and set it on her table. She walked back to her living room and felt Hotch grab her by the elbow.

"I'm so sorry." Hotch said softly "For last week, I don't want you to think that I was offering sex as a bargaining chip to make you feel better. That's not what I was..."

Emily placed her finger on his lips, "Shh. I don't want to talk about that. I understand about the Jack thing, I know I'm not his mother, but I thought I was your friend."

Taking her hand and removing it from his mouth, "You are so much more than that, Emily. You are so incredible, even that doesn't begin to describe you. You just mean so much to me, and I think... I know I have feelings for you."

Emily didn't pull her hand away, she just stared at him, his face lighten with hope and a touch of passion inside.

"Sorry" Hotch said after a few minutes with no reply, he felt his heart drop as she removed her hand from his "I'll go now."

Emily grabbed his wrist stopping his movements and just went with what she was feeling.

Grabbing on to both his wrists she threw herself at him, kissing him hard and bit on to his bottom lip, sucking it as he opened his mouth deepening their kiss.

Feeling him start to harden she pulled him in the direction of her bedroom, when he stopped and pulled out of the kiss, she frowned.

"Come on." Emily said her voice husky, pulling him with her.

Standing in Emily's bedroom with her hands pulling him to her bed, he paused and wondered if this was really real.

Removing his hands from her tight grip, he placed them on her face taking in the lust and want in her eyes. He pulled her into a soft kiss, chuckling lightly when she tried to deepen it when she slid her tongue in his mouth.

Hotch felt her hands unbuttoning his work shirt, she noted with surprise that he was already free of his suit jacket.

Feeling her practically pull the white top off, he shrugged his shoulders letting it fall to the floor.

Hotch touched her bared shoulders and placed tiny kisses on them as he pulled her tank top off her, taking in her beautiful chest on display.

Unable to contain his excitement he quickly rid himself of his pants and boxers and picked Emily up and pounced with her on the bed.

Emily chuckled when she saw the desire in Hotch's eyes as he took in her body, and he sighed in content at the thought that this was all his.

Leaning back so he towering over her, he tugged her free of her shorts as his mouth trailed kisses from her stomach up to her chest where he lightly licked, then sucked and bit the nipple eliciting a loud moan of pleasure making Hotch harden even more.

His fingers ghosted up her hips to the breast tweaking the nipple as his thumb traced small circles.

Seeing her eyes close he smirked while his left hand went back down between their bodies, toying with the bundle of nerve causing her eyes to open and look at him in shock and pleasure.

He inserted one finger, then another as he started stroking and rubbing her as she bucked up at his movements.

"Oh God" Emily whispered feeling herself tighten around his fingers, "Aaron."

Hearing her as she came saying his name made Hotch fall that more in love with her, and as he removed his hands from her, he leaned up and kissed her from her jaw to her neck.

Leaning into her, Hotch nudged her legs apart as she panted for air looking at him with hazy lust filled eyes.

Kissing her deeply, Hotch whispered, "I've wanted you since the first day you walked into my office."

Lining himself up with her core, he whispered, "Tell me you want this."

Wrapping her arms around his neck pulling him close, "I want you, Aaron." Emily whispered as she kissed his chin, "I've always wanted you."

Thrusting himself into her at that, her back arched and he dropped his head to her neck while he continued his thrusts while leaving marks all along her neck.

Hotch grunted as she wrapped her legs around his waist causing him to shift as he lifted them up a little higher as his thrusts grew more possessive and harder causing her to moan out his name with each movement.

"God, Aaron" Emily said as her nails clawed at his back while his movements caused her to shift her hips to allow him deeper access.

He pulled back and saw the flushed look on her face, as she writhed beneath him as his hands moved to her hips he felt her rock herself in sync with his hard thrust.

He groaned when he felt her tighten her walls around him and new it was a matter of minutes before they'd reach their peak.

Snaking his hand between them he flicked at her bundle again and felt her cry out her release and bit his shoulder as she came.

Falling over the edge right after her, he collapsed on her as he tried catching his breath.

When Hotch looked up, he saw the smile on her face from the pleasure he just gave her and it gave him a boost of alpha male pride.

As he was about to disentangle himself from her, she held on tight to his body.

"No. " Emily said sighing, "I like the way you feel on top of me."

Chuckling, "Well that's all good but I'm a bit too heavy for you." Hotch said, rolling them over so she was on top of him as he wrapped his arm tightly around her.

Kissing his chest where his heart was, Emily pulled the blanket around them and moved off him to rest beside him as he wrapped his arm around her pulling her close to him.

Looking up at him, she saw the smile on his face with a teasing eye, "So when you said this afternoon you didn't want my hands on you..."

Emily smirked, "Yeah that was a lie." Emily said kissing his nose, "But I wasn't going to tell you that I hadn't stopped thinking about last week, but when you brought over those flowers and that apology..."

Kissing her deeply, "You know I am sorry about that." Hotch said tracing his finger up and down her spine, "I love you, you know that right?"

"I know," Emily smiled, "I love you too."

Pulling her close to him as he kissed her forehead, "And I do want you involved in Jack's life." Hotch said sighing, "I don't know why I said it the way that I did but I am sorry for hurting you for even a second."

Placing her hand on his heart, "Hey, don't." Emily said, "It's ok, we'll just take this one step at a time. Ok?"

Hotch nodded as he laid his head down on her shoulder, "Ok."

Nuzzling in his arms, "Good now get some sleep."

"Aw," Hotch said teasingly whining, "But there's so much more we could be doing."

Raising an eyebrow at him, "Oh yeah?" Emily said with a coy look on her face, "Like what?"

Grabbing her waist he pounced on her as she giggled as he leaned in whispering, "Make up for lost time."

* * *

"All know the way; few actually walk it." Bodhidharma


End file.
